1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a basketball system with a weight-fillable base. More particularly, the present invention is related to a basketball system with a weight-fillable base having a unique design which enables the base to be moved when filled with ballast material and having a configuration that assists in the packaging of the component parts of the basketball system for shipment in a single relatively flat box.
2. Technical Background
As the game of basketball has increased in popularity, a greater number of people have purchased basketball systems for use at their homes. Such basketball systems typically comprise at least a pole to which a backboard and a goal is secured so that the goal is suspended above a playing surface. Heretofore most basketball systems were permanently mounted into the ground near the driveway of the home so that the driveway for the home serves as the basketball court. Few homes have sufficient land surrounding the home to dedicate space for exclusive use as a basketball court.
In some instances, locating where to permanently mount a basketball system can pose some difficulties. For example, at some homes, permanently mounting a basketball system next to the driveway could provide a risk to traffic in the driveway, resulting in danger or damage to both automobiles and the basketball system.
In some instances, the only viable location for mounting a basketball system could be in a location where permanently mounting a basketball system cannot be easily accomplished. Such a location could be where there is concrete or asphalt on the ground; thus, to mount the pole into the ground would require breaking a hole in the concrete or asphalt and then repairing the hole after the pole has been affixed in the ground. Such a procedure could be expensive and would most likely leave the driveway appearing unsightly.
Permanently installed outdoor basketball systems suffer from other disadvantages as well. Because they are permanently mounted, they are generally exposed to the weather throughout the entire year. Constant exposure to the weather can cause the basketball system to prematurely wear by promoting oxidation. Premature oxidation can be particularly troublesome in systems having moving parts, such as poles and backboards that employ adjustable height mechanisms or breakaway goals. Constant exposure to the weather can cause these mechanisms to prematurely fail.
Even permanently mounted basketball systems utilized in indoor environments suffer from some disadvantages. For example, a typical school has a gymnasium which must serve many purposes. Having several basketball systems permanently mounted, even if wall or ceiling mounted, for use in the gymnasium may preclude or at least interfere with certain other activities. On formal occasions, objection may be made to the appearance of permanently mounted basketball systems. The location of the permanently mounted basketball system may also interfere with other sporting activities.
In response to these and other disadvantages inherent in permanently mounted basketball systems, some designs for portable basketball systems have been developed. In order for the portable basketball system to be effective, sufficient weight must be employed to maintain the pole, backboard and goal in a generally rigid position for use in playing the game of basketball. Hence, some portable designs utilize a great deal of weight, making the systems particularly difficult to move and possibly requiring the assistance of several people to set up or remove the system. Additionally, such designs can be prohibitively expensive for people desiring to purchase one for use at their home.
Some prior-art designs have utilized removable weights, such as sand bags or metal weights, for use on a support structure which anchors the pole to the ground. A principal disadvantage to the use of these types of removable weights is that they can be extremely heavy to move from one place to another. While the support and the systems employing such designs may be easier to move, the weights are not. Some such designs, in an attempt to minimize the amount of removable weights required, are extremely large and bulky because they employ long lever arms in order to increase the effective weight of the removable weights.
In an attempt to make a portable basketball system that would be consumer affordable and ideal for use at home, some designs have employed a water-filled base. Such systems can be easily moved to a desired location where the base is then filled with water, thereby providing sufficient weight to maintain the pole, backboard and goal in a generally rigid position for use in playing basketball. When it is desired to move the system, the water is emptied out and the system moved. The principal advantage of such a system is in the use of water. Water is inexpensive, plentiful and convenient to use.
Such systems with water-filled base designs do suffer from some disadvantages, however. Having to fill and empty the base each time the system is to be set up or moved requires time, is wasteful of water, and is an inconvenience. Additionally, because water has a density of approximately 8.3 pounds per gallon, it requires several gallons of water to effectively support the system in a generally rigid position. Thus, when emptying the water out of the base, precautions have to be taken to ensure that the water is properly directed so it does not cause damage to the home or other surroundings. Also, the utilization of a water-filled base presents the hazard that the base receptacle or container aspect could be broken if the water within the base freezes and expands.
Some portable basketball systems have the pole onto which the backboard and goal assembly is secured disposed at an angle. This is generally done to provide sufficient horizontal distance between the base, which is generally pyramidic in shape and extends outwardly in all directions from the pole, and the backboard. Such pyramidic-shaped bases are bulky and cannot easily be packaged for shipping in a single relatively flat box. Hence, packaging and shipping costs for transporting this type of portable basketball system are considerably more than they would be if the system could be packaged into a single relatively flat container. This is an expense that is passed along to the consumer.
Most basketball backboards are designed to be secured to a vertical surface so that the rim portion of the goal lies in a horizontal plane above the playing surface. For example, most height adjustable systems, such as those disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,781,375 and 4,805,904, require a vertical mounting surface. Of course, adapters may be employed, but they would unduly add to the cost and complexity of the system.
The development of various portable basketball systems has created a significant consumer demand for sturdy, low-cost portable basketball systems. Consumers are looking for an affordable alternative to the permanently mounted basketball system. Retail marketers of basketball systems are looking for basketball systems that can be easily displayed in a minimum of floor space and can be stacked to maximize inventory in the available shelf space. For example, a basketball system that can be packaged into a shipping carton that has a depth of about 14 inches can be stacked only six cartons high within a room with an 8 foot ceiling, while a carton of depth of about 8 inches can be stacked twelve cartons high in the same room. Such stacking ability also translates to significant shipping cost savings because more systems can be transported in a truck trailer or a box car.
Heretofore, although various portable basketball systems have been developed, there have been no such systems that could be packaged into a relatively flat shipping carton (for the purposes of this application the phrase "relatively flat" when applied to a shipping carton shall mean a carton having a depth of about 12 inches or less). Typically, the base, whether it is a base that is ballast fillable or supports weights, required packaging that is not relatively flat. Additionally, to pack the component parts of the basketball system frequently required cardboard or styrofoam dividers to prevent undesirable shifting and damage to the components during shipping. Such dividers add cost to the price ultimately charged to the consumer and become waste to the consumer. It is not unusual for such dividers to add as much as five percent (5%) to the retail cost of the basketball system.
Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a portable base for a basketball system which utilizes ballast secured within the base as a weight, but which can be easily moved by one person without having to remove the ballast from the base.
It would be a further advancement in the art if such a portable base could be provided which would have the capability to receive liquid (e.g., water) or solid particles (e.g., sand) as ballast without leaking or spilling.
It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a portable base for a basketball goal system which would have wheels that can support the effective weight of the system when the system is tilted from its game mode disposition so that the system can be maneuvered from one place to another without requiring the removal of the ballast.
Indeed, it would be an additional advancement in the art to provide a base for a basketball system to which a pole could be secured in a substantially vertical disposition, thereby providing a vertical support to which could be attached a backboard and goal.
It would be still another advancement in the art to provide a portable basketball system having component parts that are capable of assembly into a relatively flat carton for shipping, particularly if the exterior contour of the base for the system assisted in the packaging of the components so that packing dividers could be eliminated or dramatically reduced.
Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.